Game apparatus



Oct. 15, 1929. J, wlLLEKE 1,731,959

GAME APPARATiIS Filed March 11, 1929 H ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 15, 1929 JOSEPH G. WILLEKE, OF SEATTLE, VIASHINGTON GAME APPARATUS Application filed March 11, 1929. Serial No. 3%,140.

This invention relates to an amusement device whereby a variety of interesting games may be played by two or more persons.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel game devicewhich will afford delight and enthusiasm to the players-and the onlookersbecause of the factor of chance which enters into the games.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a game device of the above character which may be manufactured to sell at a low price, which will be of simple, durable construction, and of an attractive appearance.

Another object is to provide a device with which games may be played suitable to persons of different ages, and is peculiarly adapted for use in the homes of families.

The invention consists in the novel construction, adaptation and combination of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a plan view of game apparatus embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section to an enlarged scale substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1,

parts of the backing board being broken away; and Fig. 3 is a view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

In carrying out my invention I provide a backing board 5, herein shown square, having centrally thereof a circular cavity 6 (Fi 2) with a recess or hole 7 extending therebe low. Fitting within said cavity is a cylindrical casing herein shown as consisting of two counterpart members 8 and 9 disposed one above the other, each of which is provided with a peripheral flange 10 which is apertured to receive bolts 11 for uniting the casing members.

In the plane wall of each member and in proximity to its circumference, each of the casing members is provided with a plurality of sight apertures12, or 12 for the purpose presently to be explained. As shown in Fig. 1 four apertures are employed for a casing member, said apertures being arranged. in pairs in right angular relation with each other.

Centrally of the respective casingmembers are bores to serve as journal bearings for the hub 13 of a spur gearwheel 1 1, hereinafter termed the driving gear, which is in mesh with tootheddriven gears 15 rotatable upon pins 16 which, as shown in Fig. 2, have their ends socketed in recesses provided therefor in the casing members.

Secured to said driven gears to rotate therewith is a series of disks 17 located above the respective gears and a second series of disks 17 located below such gears. The top surface of each upper disk 17 and the bottom surface of each lower disk 17 has mark-ed thereon a series of arithmetical numbers or other characters arranged in circular order concentric with the axes of rotation of the respective disk and disposed to have the same revoluble across the respective sight apertures 12 and 12 of the casing.

The characters provided upon the various disks are such as requisite to the plays of different games; as, for instance, with respect to the disks 17 as shown in Fig. 3, I illustrate series of marks composed of numerals, indicated by a, and symbo s indicated by 0, cl and e.

Included in the inventionis a rotary dial 18 having centrally thereof a tubular arbor element 19 which extends into the central bore of the driving gear 1 1.

The lower end of said arbor is interior-1y screw-threaded for engagement with the thread of a cap screw 21 to cooperate with the dial to couple the latter with the driving gear thereto. Said dial is provided with a radially extending finger 22, hereinafter termed the setting finger, which protrudes beyond the circumference of the easing into indicating relation with a circularly arranged series of numbers 23, (Fig. 1) disposed consecutively from 1 to 2 1 upon the part of the board 5 surrounding the casing. 25 represents a knob provided at the diametrically opposite side of the dial from the setting finger 22 for turning the dial to regulate the rotary position of the referred to finger with respect to the numbers 23 selectively. Mounted for rotation upon a spindle 2O fitting within the upper end of the arbor 19 is a spinner S, as hereinafter termed, comprising a hub 26 having two arms 27 extending radially therefrom at diametrically opposite sides of the hub and carrying heavy bodies 27 to provide momentum to the spinner when motion is imparted thereto by a. player through the medium of a boss element26 of the hub. One of said spinner arms terminates in a pointed end 30 which serves as a pointer with respect to a series of numbers '28 (Fig. 1)as 1 to 24provided in circular order on the rotary dial 18. v

Surrounding said casing, the board 5 has marked upon its upper surface a plurality of concentric rings, four being shown in Fig. 1, designated by 31, 32, 33 and 34, respectively, the same being divided by linesinto spaces denoted by 1, 2, 3, 4, etc., circumferentia-lly of the several rings from initial spaces 0 in the respective rings. 7

The zero spaces 0 are desirably distinguished by having the same appear in a color which contrasts with the associated numbered spaces of the respective rings.

35 represents movable pieces, preferably two for each player, which are utilized for .n'iarkers in the progress of a game.

' The embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is for duplex game apparatus-that is to say, apparatus with which two different games may be played, one game being playable with the apparatus disposed as shown and the other game being playable afterthe casing is turnedupside down so that the disks 17 are employedso that the marks or characters thereon may be read through the apertures 12 In order'to thus reverse the casing the dial with its arbor 19, the spindle 20 and the spinner S must be transferred from the side of the casing which is tofbe seated within the cavity 7 to be operable from above the casing,

the screw 21 accommodating such a change and serving to reunite the arbor with the driving gear as requisite.

, The manner of using the apparatus and the games playable therewith isso various that I will confine myself to an explanation of a simple counting game which may be performed'as follows With two persons, for ex ample, the spinner S is whirled alternately by ea'ch'to cause the pointer thereof to stop at a number-es 21, for instance-of the series 28 upon the rotary disk, the number thus denoted indicates the corresponding number 21 to which the finger 22 is to be set with'respectto the series 23 thereof on the backing board 5.

Suchsetting of the finger 22 is accomplished by the'player turning the dial 18,

which is integral with said finger, until the latter is revolved into register with the designated number21, in the example-of the backing board series.

The turning of the dial, moreover, rotates thedriving'gear' 14 whence rotation is imparted to gears 15 together with the disks, as 17, to revolve similar characters on each disk into register with the respective sight apertures 12 of the casing.

Assuming that a number, as 7 for instance, is displayed at each sight aperture the person then playing places a marker upon the 1 ring 34 seven spaces from the zero space 0 as illustrated at the left hand side of F 1. Theother person proceeds in like manner, whirling the spinner to find a number upon the rotary dial to which the dial linger 22 is revolved into register with the corresponding number of the board series 28 thereby actuating the gears 14 and 15 to turn the disks 17 into positions to display a number thereon through the sight apertures 12 whereby the second player places one of his markers at so many spaces from the zero space 0 of the ringas 33of the board.

The two players then continue successively as above explained to make their next plays, using their second markers to set oil in the respective rings, the extent of their moves measured by the ring spaces from the markers first employed, and so on the markers are moved alternately in the rings of the board until oneor the other of the players moves his marker in its orbital path to the zero space from which he began.

As ordinarily played, the final move of the winner must be responsive to a number displaycdby the disks which will locate the active marker exactly upon the zero space above referred to.

Interesting variations in the game above described may be had by utilizing characters such as indicated by c, d, and e in the disks 17 (Fig. 3) to provide hazards whereby a person must reverse his count, forfeit a play, or otherwise according to rules or agreement between the players.

In practice, the rings 31-341- on the board have their spaces advantageously set off from one anotherby being of different colors alternately.

hat I claim, is,

1. In a game apparatus, the combination of a board provided thereon with an annulus of numbers, a plurality of rotary disks having markings on the faces thereof, a casing for said disks, said casing being provided with sight apertures, a dial rotatable upon the casing and provided with a finger adapted to be revolved with the dial for indicating a. number of said annulus, operative connection between said dial and the disks for imparting rotation to said disks to present markings of the latter at the respective sight apertures, said dial being provided upon the face thereof with a series of numbers arranged in circular relation concentric of the dial axis, a spinner mounted for rotation about the axis of the dial, said spinner having a pointer adapted to indicate one of the dial numbers to Ill) lill) designate the extent of the turning of the disk operating dial with respect to the annulus of numbers upon the board, means provided upon said board for keeping scores of the game as determined by the disk numbers presented at said sight apertures, and movable pieces adapted to be placed upon said scoring means to mark the progress of the game.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of a board provided thereon With an annulus of numbers, a plurality oi rotary disks having markings on the faces thereof, a casing for the disks, said casing being provided with eight apertures, a dial rotatable upon the casing for indicating a number of said annulus, operative connection between said dial and the disks for imparting rotation to said disks to present markings of the latter at the respective sight apertures, said dial being provided upon the face thereof With a series of numbers arranged in circular relation concentric of the dial axis, a spinner mounted for rotation about the axis of the dial, said spinner having a pointer adapted to indicate one of the dial numbers to d sig he extent of turning of the disk operating dial with respect to the annulus of numbers upon the board, means provided .upon said board for keeping scores of the game as determined by the disk numbers presented at said sight apertures, and movable pieces adapted to be placed upon said scoring means to mark the progress of the game.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination of a board provided thereon with an annulus of numbers, a plurality of rotary disks hav ing markings on the faces thereof, a casing for the disks, said casing bein provided with sight apertures, a dial rotatable upon the casing for indicating a number of said annulus, operative connection between said dial and the disks for imparting rotation to said disks to present markings of the latter at the respective sight apertures, said dial being provided upon the face thereoii Witha series of numbers arranged in circular relation concentric ot the dial axis, and. a spinner mounted for rotation about the axis of the dial, said spinner having a pointer adapted to indicate one of the dial numbers to designate the extent of turning of the disk operating dial With respect to the annulus of numbers upon the board.

tiigned at- Seattle, \Vashington, this 23rd day of February, 1999.

' J OSEPH G. WILLEKE. 

